The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique have both experienced internal political turmoil, but it is the tragic case of the DRC that highlights the greed and plundering of Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU PF. Despite the crisis in the DRC not directly threatening Zimbabwe’s security or sovereignty, ZANU PF sacrificed a thriving economy for personal gain and Swiss bank accounts. This article delves into the comparison between the two countries and exposes the selfish motives that dominate ZANU PF’s intervention choices.

Zimbabwe deployed 10,000 troops to the DRC, costing an estimated 3 million USD per month. However, due to ZANU PF’s lack of transparency and media repression, these figures should be viewed with skepticism. ZANU PF now finds itself trapped by its own actions, as its interventions, driven by politics of self-enrichment, have led to a stalemate and economic downfall.

The justifications provided by ZANU PF for the costly military deployment in the DRC were feeble attempts to deceive the politically misinformed masses, aided by state-sponsored media repression. Ironically, these same justifications demand intervention in Mozambique, a country that poses an immediate threat to Zimbabwe. Yet, ZANU PF hesitates to act.

George Charamba, a member of the ZANU PF-led government, who was involved in the DRC intervention, now struggles to justify the party’s reluctance to intervene in Mozambique. He claims that the DRC intervention was driven by a matter of principle rooted in the liberation war. However, the same principle is conveniently ignored when it comes to Mozambique, despite its sovereignty being directly threatened. The greed of ZANU PF becomes the obvious answer. Additionally, Mozambique’s limited jurisdictional powers and insurgency issues make it a perfect candidate for intervention, yet ZANU PF remains idle.

The lack of economic gains from natural-resource exploitation in Mozambique dissuades ZANU PF from intervening, as the party lacks the means and capabilities to extract oil and gas. Unlike the situation in the DRC, where ZANU PF could exploit blood diamonds. This rationale explains the absence of intervention in Mozambique, driven by ZANU PF’s politics of self-enrichment.

Mozambique’s poor military responses to insurgency and the lack of support will ultimately lead to regional instability, with Zimbabwe among the first casualties. Similar to Mozambique, ZANU PF’s politics of greed marginalize and exclude certain groups, creating fertile ground for youth to be attracted to insurgency. This detrimental chain of events would worsen the already deteriorating humanitarian crisis, leading to state paralysis and, ultimately, failure.

ZANU PF’s greed and self-enrichment politics have hindered its response to the instability in Mozambique. The acute lack of economic gains from natural-resource exploitation, combined with the party’s inability to extract oil and gas, has made intervention unattractive. Despite the direct threat posed by Mozambique, ZANU PF overlooks the parallels with the intervention in the DRC, which resulted in economic casualties. ZANU PF’s politics of greed also contribute to manpower for insurgents, as marginalized individuals seek alternative means to attain power and economic opportunities.